Chapter 2: The Marshes

Marshlands as far as the eyes can reach. I certainly hope that we aren't lost, especially since there really isn't any way to know for sure until we finally reach that man. This ordeal is getting quite annoying, especially with this person around. Why did the high priest have to make her come along? I could have managed perfectly well on my own, but no, I apparently have to learn to get along with people. Feh. Who needs that? I have been on bigger missions than this one before and never had to rely on anyone to complete them successfully, so why change that now? Oh well. No use beating myself up about this; it's not going to change anything...

This bog is rather tiring. It must be hard on Austere... her clothes aren't fit for this sort of travel. She should have thought about it earlier. I mean, the colors she chose are ideal, except for the frilly white collar on her shirt; earthen brown baggy pants, a loosely fitted shirt and that strange purplish chocolate colored skirt of hers. If she'd wear it on her waist like most people do, it would reach her ankles, but instead she fastens the upper half with a rope around her torso. I'm not quite sure how it works,but she seems to have all kinds of stuff stored in there, perfectly concealed from the unknowing eyes, and easily accessible when needed. It must be rather heavy, and not only that, but she's completely soaked from the cold morning dew. She'll catch a cold soon enough if we keep on going like this, and that would slow us down even more. Maybe we should take a small break somewhere dry. Maybe I can hunt down some animal that we can cook, since we lost almost everything we had in that incident...

"We'll take a break here." my voice shot through the still morning air. "Light a fire. I'll find food."
This is the driest place we've come across for the past few days. We should stay here for a while and rest. I looked towards her pale expressionless face. She gave me a weak nod as I dropped my leather bag to the ground. That bag contains all my possessions: a few blankets, the little money we have left and maybe a bread crumb or two. I left Austere and my bag behind and focused on hunting. After all, something must live here.

Walking quickly and stealthily through the undergrowth (or rather that's what I was trying to do, it ended up being more of a stumble with squishy noises), I soon came across a marsh dog. I managed to hide in the bushes before the creature noticed me. Its fur was covered in mud and dirt, but in places a beautiful pale golden color shone through the filth. Then it turned towards me, with its big friendly black eyes, shiny black nose and brilliantly white teeth. Yes, I thought, it definitely had been a friendly creature in the past, maybe humans even kept them in their homes as companions. But that was a very long time ago. Now, this creature had grown fangs the length of a finger and long, curved, sharp claws shining through the dark mud. A truly frightening being, this marsh dog, or rather it would be if it was any bigger or I was any weaker. It only stands to just above knee height, but that is enough to kill most humans, so common people stay away from the marshes. But I've had experience in this sort of terrain and with these dogs.

This will be just like the good old days, I thought with a sly smile on my lips.

The dog started walking towards my hideout. Did it sense my presence? Probably not. In any case, I have the upper hand here. Stay calm. Stay quiet.
. Almost noiselessly, the dog approached the bush.
Only a soft squish could be heard as it set down its enormous paws.
It came closer.
It was almost in my range now.
Squish.
Squish.
Squish.
Silently I detached the dagger from my right sleeve, grasping it firmly.
Squish.
Five more steps...
Squish…
Four more steps...
Three more...
Two...
One...
There is the head.

I thrust the dagger.

The curved blade cut effortlessly through the skin, flesh and bones of the dog's neck.
And with a downward sweep, the head was severed.
I stood up, and looked at the motionless corpse laying on the moist earth to my left.
Blood dribbled from the wound and seeped into the ground turning it crimson.
A small stream of the shining red substance made its way past the roots and twigs, slowly advancing downwards toward the water.
I stopped and watched as the stream met the surface of the puddle, the two liquids intermixed and became a single tainted unity.
I always marvel at how willing the earth is to accept everything. All things evil and all things good always return to it, just like this dog's life energy would now return to the eternal cycle...

I approached the place where I left my bag and Austere. She was busy tending to the radiantly blazing fire, yet she looked up when I arrived with my prey. For a second I thought I saw something in her light blue-gray eyes, a fragment of subconscious thought. What was it? An instant later, it was gone...
Maybe I'm just imagining things...

The puddles around us glistened in the morning light. The warm rays of the sun played with the shadows of the night still hiding behind small knolls and undersized brush. We sat there in silence with our backs toward the red orange sun looking out at the eerie beauty of the marsh, waiting for our first good meal in days.

I glanced towards Austere. She must be more tired than I thought. Maybe she's not used to this sort of travel. I don't think we ever had a real conversation… I don't really know anything about her… other than her name… I have never pronounced it... Strange…